


Old Memories, New Beginnings

by alexanderlightweight



Series: Words of October 2019 [3]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Friendship, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, I promise it is LIGHT Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Self-Acceptance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-10 18:49:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20856548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alexanderlightweight/pseuds/alexanderlightweight
Summary: Being dragged out at dawn for a life changing event wasn't Alex's first choice of fun, but there's coffee and breakfast and a change of scenery so he'll endure.For the Fictober event!Day/Prompt 1: "It will be fun, trust me."





	Old Memories, New Beginnings

“It will be fun, trust me,” Kyle had said that morning with a grin. He’d both insisted on picking Alex up at nearly dawn and then on being the one to drive.

Alex hadn’t protested, not when Kyle was the one to suggest this little day trip and certainly not when it meant he could doze in fitful naps against the passenger’s side. 

It was cool outside, keeping the window chilled under his cheek and a reminder of the changing seasons. Even as he let himself slip into a light doze, his leg gave a soft pang as if he could already feel the chill seeping into his bones.

Coffee woke up both his brain and his tongue when they stopped for food. Kyle remained alarmingly ambitious as to their mission, making inane chit chat that once would have had Alex threatening to stab him with a fork. Now, he reverted to stealing from Kyle’s plate and leaving him with the bill, rolling his eyes when the only response he got was a half-hearted protest and then Kyle getting them both drinks to go. 

The landscape wasn’t recognizable. A lot of the same ever-changing yet redundant view as they drove on, it was a nice change of pace from his hours of scouring through data and files and coding though. Something that strangely enough relaxed him, though he stayed awake for idle conversation and comfortable silence.

“We’re about a half hour out,” was the first hint Kyle gave him about anything, “ready for your life to change?”

Alex blinked at him and then took a long, self-medicating gulp of lukewarm coffee. 

“Kyle, the last time my life changed it wasn’t a good thing.”

Kyle winced and Alex wondered with a morbid amusement, just which of the many ridiculously bad things that had happened to him, Kyle was thinking of.

“I thought you were getting over Guerin.”

“Oh for-,” Alex cut himself off and sighed, “being responsible for my own emotional well-being and compartmentalizing my feelings to deal with them doesn’t mean I’m magically over the man I’ve loved for a decade.” He wasn’t quite ready to be over Michael either, not that he would tell Kyle that just yet. 

There was too much history between Alex and Michael and too much recent hurt. He was willing to let wounds heal but he wasn’t ready to forget and give-up, or to walk completely away. Life didn’t always work the way you wanted but that didn’t mean you could stop living or stop caring and while he would live for himself, he still cared deeply about Michael. Distance had never stopped it before and he doubted it would now. He’d figure out in time if their relationship was truly lost but for now, he’d keep moving forward, trying not to look back too often but not erasing their history together either. 

“Right, no that makes sense.” Kyle said after a moment, “right so. Life changing. In a good way, the best way.”

“Sure, buddy. You keep saying that, maybe you’ll actually manage to convince one of us.

-

Their final place of arrival was a small farmhouse with a barn in the back and a small fenced off area next to the wraparound porch, both nondescript and out of the way. With a calming aura in the way only a domestic, civilian residence could project. 

“Being here is going to change my life?” Alex asked, humor coating his tone as he internally gave a sigh of relief. A small part of him had been worried that this was some sort of strange set-up, like a date. Kyle’s comment in the car about Michael had only added to that concern, now though, he doubted Kyle’s idea of him moving on was making him go on a farm picnic. 

“Oh, you have no idea.” 

Alex wasn’t really sure what happened next. One moment Kyle was knocking on the farmhouse door, then Alex was wading through polite introductions and then he was sitting on the back patio, a beautiful wriggling puppy in his lap. 

He knew there were other things, questions he asked and was asked in return that he stuffed away to sort through later. 

Everything else could wait as he fondly rubbed his hand over a velvet soft back and let his eyes nearly be poked out by a tiny cold nose and his face covered with indelicate puppy kisses and lots of slobber. 

“How’d you know?” He finally asked, when it was just him, his new girl and Kyle on the porch. The couple having gone in the house to let them bond. A part of Alex wondered if this had secretly been Liz or Maria’s idea, something to boost his moral and switch his lifestyle around. He doubted it, but he couldn’t really think of another reason for Kyle to have known about Mimi’s prediction.

“That you’ve always wanted a beagle?” Kyle asked and grinned at him, “you loved Clover more than anyone.” He said reminding Alex of his dad’s dog and their four-legged companion on trips to the hunting cabin. “She used to cuddle up to you at night and then you’d sneak her scraps of food during meals. Dad always pretended not to notice but whenever you left, she’d sit at the door and he’d always say she was waiting for you. Back before,” here Kyle winced, “back before high-school, when she had her litter. I wanted to give you one, mom did too but dad said no.”

Alex gave a wet scoff and blinked rapidly, “I would have loved that.” He admitted, “but that would have been a terrible idea. Your dad did the smart thing in saying no.” 

“Yeah.” Kyle grimaced, the thought of Jesse Manes a grim and disturbing shadow over the joy of their conversation and memories. 

Alex smiled, something soft and sad but hopeful as he pressed a kiss to her head, “well you were definitely right. I think she’s definitely going to change my life, aren’t you sweetheart?” The puppy gave an excited yip, milk-teeth catching on his chin and he gently pulled her away.

“So what are you going to name her?” Kyle asked and he shifted, shoulder against Alex’s as he reached over to pet her, yelping slightly himself when those same sharp teeth caught on his thumb and then sighing as he rubbed out the sting. “Takes after her dad,” he muttered and then chuckled when Alex elbowed him.

“Dune,” Alex said finally, petting along her floppy ears. 

“Nerd,” Kyle muttered, “you read that book every time we went to the cabin.” 

“It’s a good book, she’ll be a good dog. It works.” He defended and as if to agree, Dune yipped and wagged her tail, thumping it happily against his arm as she tried to climb up his chest for more kisses. 

“Well, as long as you’re both happy, that makes me happy. Nerd or not.” Kyle dodged the elbow this time but missed Dune sneakily jumping from Alex’s lap to his. He gave a muffled cry and then winced, catching the puppy quickly and shooting Alex a dirty look when he laughed. “How does such a little thing pack such a punch?” He gritted out and warily, holding Dune like she was a tiny bomb waiting to go off, handed her back to Alex. He shuffled gingerly, and winced again, “she has eerily good aim.” 

“She’s perfect, that's what she is." Alex waited a moment and then turned, "Kyle, thank you. For all of this.” Alex said and Kyle grinned at him, easy and comfortable and sincere. 

“Anytime Alex, I mean that.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr as [alexanderlightweight](https://alexanderlightweight.tumblr.com)


End file.
